Link multiple hinged connector bars



1960 J. J. DALGLiSH ETAL 2,924,405

LINK MULTIPLE HINGED CONNECTOR BARS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2. 1954 i ll c l m H T m N E O M m h r re MU w m Mam M A w w m eh m mwfiw JR W Feb. 9, 1960 Y J. us ETAL 2,924,405

LINK MULTIPLE HINGED CONNECTOR BARS Filed April 2, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 5 2g K46 ./7- James J DQ q I INVENTOR Ralph L. ha/m Earl 14/ Lager Wa/fer' ,4. Beer 2,924,405 LINK MULTIPLE I-IINGED CONNECTOR'BARS James J. Dalglish, St. Paul, Ralph L. Holm, Minneapolis, and Earl W. Lager and Walter A. Beer, St. Paul, Minn,

. assignors of one-half to said James J. Dalglish, and onehalf to said Ralph L. Holm, both of St. Paul, Minn.

Application April 2, 1954, Serial No. 420,618

Claims. (Cl. 244122) This invention relates to an improvement in split link construction and is particularly useful as a part of a quick detachable harness for use by airplane pilots and the like. In the high speed airplanes it has become more or less common practice to eject the pilot from the plane in the event of an emergency. A harness is usually employed for holding the pilot in place. This harness usually includes a belt anchored to the seat and encircling the body of the pilot. Shoulder straps are also provided which extend over the shoulders of the pilot to maintain the pilot in proper relation to the belt. -A tie down strap is also often provided anchored to the seat and extending between the legs of the pilot and anchored to the belt. In the case of an emergency the pilot and seat are either ejected upwardly from the cockpit of the plane or dropped downwardly through an opening in the floor of the plane. Means must be provided for releasing all of the component parts of the harness shortly after the ejection operation so that the pilot may parachute to safety.

In the co-pending application of Ralph Holme et al., Serial No. 407,825 filed February 3, 1954 now Patent 2,754,073 for Quick Detachable Harness a quick detachable buckle is described which permits quick separation of the seat belt. In this structure one of the buckle parts serves as an anchorabout which the shoulder straps and tie down strap may be looped. In certain cases where both shoulder straps and a tie down strap are employed it is desirable to use a split link which opens up to permit easier detachment of the various straps. It is the object of the present invention to provide such a link.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a split link having an anchoring base portion to which is secured one end of the seat belt and to provide a pair of link arms pivotally attached to this base part. The link arms are supported to swing into converging relation or to swing into diverging relation. When the link arms are in converging relation they include aligned apertures through which a latch member on the other section of the seat belt buckle may engage to hold the belt in body encircling position. When this latch member is released the link arms may swing into diverging relation so that the looped ends of the shoulder straps and tie down strap may slip therefrom without difficulty.

A feature of the present invention lies in the provision of a seat belt buckle including a split link having arms which swing into converging relation and which are limited in their pivotal movement to a point where the apertures through the links are aligned. As a result the link arms may be swung together and inserted into the cooperable portion of the buckle without the necessity of hunting for the positions in which the apertures are aligned. It is essential that the belt buckle be operable in darkness as Well as in light and that the buckle parts be quickly connected. By limiting the pivotal movement of the arms, the proper alignment of the openings therein is insured.

' United States Patent ice An added feature of the present invention lies in the fact that the link arms are limited in their outward swinging movement. This is essential as it prevents the arms from separating to a point where the disengagement of the straps is hindered.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a planned view of a section of the seat belt and cooperable harness belts showing the connecting buckle in assembled position.

Figure 2 is an edge view of the buckle shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the split link with the arms thereof in converging position.

Figure 4 is a planned view of the split link with the link arms in partially open position.

Figure 5 is a sectional view through the split link, the position of the section being indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 66 of Figure The assembled unit is best illustrated in Figure l of the drawings. This figure shows a buckle A including a latching portion 10 and a split link portion 11. The latch portion 10 is best described in the application for patent referred to previously. This portion includes a base plate 12 having a widened portion 13 containing an elongated slot 14 through which one end 15 of the seat belt may be secured. The base plate also supports a barrel 16 including a locking pin for preventing the hinging of the hinged portion 17 of the latch from opening. The hinge part 17 is hinged to the base portion 19 and swings away from the base plate as described in the previous application.

A notch 20 is provided in the free end of the hinged part 17 and a cooperable notch 21 is provided in the base plate 12 for the accommodation of the end of the split link 11. A parachute key 22 may be locked in place by a locking member 23 controlled by a bifurcated lever 18 and extends through the hinged part 17 and through a portion of the split link to normally latch these parts together. The parachute key 22 is removable and forms a part of the parachute apparatus normally worn by the pilot.

The split link 11 is constructed as best illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5. This link includes a base portion 24 which is relatively wide and includes a slot 25 through which the second end of the seat belt may be looped. The base 24 is provided with two parallel projecting ears 26 and 27 which extend from the base 24 in parallel relation and are a fraction of the thickness of the base portion 24. In the particular construction illustrated the ears 27 are approximately one-third the thickness of the base portion 24 and project from the base 24 midway between the upper and lower surfaces thereof.

A pair of link arms 29 and 30 are hinged to the ears 26 and 27 by pivots 31 and 32 respectively. These arms 29 and 30 are provided with bifurcated ends 33 and 34 respectively which straddle the ears 26 and 27. The pivots 31 and 32 extend through the bifurcated ends 33 and 34 and through the ears 26 and 27 to pivotally connect these parts.

The arm 23 at its bifurcated end is of substantially the same thickness as the base 24 to which it is attached. The full thickness portion of the arm 29 extends along the outer edge of the arm for a short distance to form a shoulder 35. The full thickness portion also extends as a rib 36 along the inner edge of the arm to a point spaced from the free end of the arm. The end 37 of this rib 36 forms a shoulder as will be later described.

'Ihe arm 30 also includes a full thickness portion at its bifurcated end 34 whichis substantially equal in thickness to the base portion 24. full thickness portion extends a short distance along the outer edge of the arm 30 forming a shoulder 139; As indicated in dotted outline in Figure 4, the full thickness portion extends as a rib 40 along the inner edgeof the arm30 forming a shoulder 41 at its extremity which is at a point spaced from the free end of the arm 30.

'As is evident from "the drawings the remainder of the arms 29 and 30 which are not of full thickness are oliset so that the free ends of the arms may overlap. The portion 42' of the arm 29 which is of full thickness extends substantially fiush withjthe under surface of .the base 24 and is of approximately one-half 'the thickness of theb e portion 24 Similarly, the portion 43 of the arm 3% which is not of full thickness extends substantially flush with the upper surface of the base portion 24 and this portion is of. substantially one-half the thickness of the base portion. As a result the *ends of the arms may overlap until theshoulder 37 of the arm 29 engages the inner edge of the arm 30 and the shoulder 41 on the arm 30 engages theinner edge of the'arm 29.

As is indicated in Figures-3 and 5,the extremities '44 and 45 of the arms 29 and 30 are of somewhat reduced thickness, the under surface of the arm 29 being cut away as indicated at 46 along an arcuate edge 4-7 and the upper surface of the arm end '45 is'cut away as indicated along an arcuate line 49. The purpose; of this arrangement is to permit the 'armextremities-to be easily inserted into the latchportion of the belt buckle which is defined by the notches 20 and 21 and the shouldered edges 47 and 49'tend tohold the arms in proper relation to the latch portion ofthe buckle so that the parachute key 2?. may be easily inserted.

The end 44 of the arm 29 is provided with an aperture 59 therethrough and asimilar aperture 51 is provided in the end 45 ofthe arm 30. These apertures Stl and 51 are aligned when the arms 29 and 30 are swung into the converging relation shown in Figure 3 and shown-in dotted outline in Figure 4.

Theoperation of my split link is believed obvious from the foregoing description. Tlhe link 11 attached to a'seat belt portion 52 is swung across one side of the body and the other belt end 15 bearing the latch portion 3% is swung over the body from the oifset side. The looped ends 53 and 54 ofthe-shoulder strap portions 55 and'56 respectively are threaded onto the link arm 29. The tie down strap 55 is provided with a looped end 56 which is threaded onto the arm 39!. The arms 29 and 39 are swung together between the fingers of one hand. and are inserted into the notch 2d, 21 of the latch portion .10 of the buckle. The parachute key is next inserted into the latch portion Ill, this key extending through suitable apertures in the hinged portion of the latch and the base portion thereof and through the apertures 50 and-51 of the arms 25. A latching device 23 is then operated to lock the parachute key in position to prevent its accidental removal. in normal operational: the end of a flight'the pilot pivots the latch device 243 to release the parachute key 22 which is then'removed. Removal of the-parachute key separates the belt buckle and permits the link arms 29 and 39 to swing apart. The shoulder strap loops 53 and and the tie down loop 56 then slip from the arms 29 and 30 and the entire harness is disengaged.

In the event of an emergency if it becomes necessary for the pilot to leave the plane in flight, suitable --means are provided to eject or to drop the pilots seatfrom the plane. Either simultaneously with the ejection or after a delayed period, the pin holding the hinged part1? of the latch is withdrawn permitting the hinged part1? to pivot relatively to the base partllZ and withdrawing the parachute key from the base plate while still. retaining this keyjin the hinged portion of the buckle. f This sepa- 29 and 30 to swing apart, allowing the looped ends of the shoulder straps and tie down belt to slip from the ends of these arms. In other words all of the equipment of the pilot is disengaged with the exception of the parachute key. As the pilot falls away from the seat, the parachute key acts to start a suitable timing apparatus which opens the parachute automatically after a predetermined time period or when a suitable elevation is reached.

In accordance with the patent statutes. -We have described the principles of construction and operation, of my split link and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that obviouschanges may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. A parachute harness assembly including, in combination, a divided safety belt, a strap having a looped end, a split link connector including a base portion having an elongated slot therein through which one end of said divided safety belt extends, a pair of arms pivotally connectediat one end to said base portion on one side of said slot and spaced longitudinally thereof, pivots'having parallel axes connecting said arms to saidbase portion, the other ends of said arms each having an aperture extending therethrough, said other ends being relatively offset to overlap in one pivotal position thereof, said apertures being aligned in said one pivotal position, said arms converging together toward said apertnred ends when overlapped, a buckle connected to the other end of said dividedsafety belt, means attached to said buckle and extendable'through said alignedapertures for detachably connecting said buckle to said arms, said looped end of said strap encircling one of said arms, said arms diverging apart in another pivotal position of said arms, whereby said looped end of said strap will slide free of said one arm, and cooperable means on saidarms and on said base limiting outward pivotal movement of said arms to said diverging position.

2. The structureof claim 1 and including cooperable shoulder means on each of said arms'limiting swinging of said arms toward overlapping position when said apertures are aligned.

'3.-A link connector for use in combination with a safety belt including a base portion having an elongated belt slot therein, said base portion having a pair of pivot apertures therethrough on one side of said slot and spaced in a direction longitudinally'of saidslot, a pair of identical arms having pivot apertures at one end thereof, pivots extending through said pivot apertures in said arms and in said base portion to pivotally attach said arms to said base portion, said armsincluding'ends-of reduced thickness which overlap in onepivotal position of said arms, said-reduced thickness arm ends having apertures thelrethrough which are aligned in overlapping position of'said arms, said arms convergingtoward each other throughout their length when in overlapping position, each armincludingshoulder means thereon engaging the other ofsaid-arrns when said-arms are overlapped.

4-. The structureof'claim-3 and in which said arms are slightly curved in. an outward direction, and including cooperable means on said arms and on said base portion limiting the outward pivoting of said arms to a position in which the reduced thickness ends of said arms are in diverging relation.

5. A link connector for use in combination with a safety belt including a base portion including means thereon for connection with a belt, said base having spaced pivot apertures theret'nrough, a pair of identical arms having pivot apertures through an end thereof, parallel pivots extending through said pivot apertures in said arms and in said base portion to pivotally attachsaid arms to said baseportion, said arms includingends of reduced thickness which converge together at an acute angle and overlap in one pivotal position of said arms, said reduced thickness arm ends having apertures therethrough which are aligned in overlapping position of References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Norden Nov. 6, 1900 Richardson Mar. 18, 1919 6 Carr Nov. 11, Ratigan Sept. 27, Thomson Oct. 2, Fischer Aug. 9, Currier July 8, Holm et a1. July 10,

POREZGN PATENTS France Jan. 17, Great Britain Apr. 25, 

